Neymar famously left Barça for Paris Saint-Germain in a transfer fee world record of $US261 million in 2017 but could be the subject of a transfer tug-of-war between two of the biggest soccer clubs in Spain, as Barcelona joins Real Madrid in pursuit of the PSG striker.

But Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has allegedly been talking to Messi about Neymar, with El Mundo Deportivo reporting that the club is looking at making PSG an extraordinary offer.

Messi even asked Bartomeu to re-sign Neymar, El Mundo reports. The paper then said that Barcelona management is looking at including Antoine Griezmann, a player who is not yet even a Barça asset, as a means of helping fund the deal.

Griezmann recently said in a video that he will end a five-year stay at Atletico Madrid this summer, after helping the team win three cup trophies since 2014.

Griezmann had allegedly struck a private agreement with Barcelona back in March, where a transfer fee with Atletico and a salary with the player had all been agreed. Atletico Madrid CEO Gil Marin even said in an interview with Radio Estadio, as reported by the Evening Standard earlier this month, that he knows Griezmann had a deal with Barcelona.

But Barcelona apparently now wants to transfer that Griezmann deal, plus $US135 million, to PSG in exchange for Neymar, El Mundo reports.

PSG may be keen to trade

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty ImagesGriezmann does not seem to know where he will play in the 2019-2020 soccer season.

Goal.com correspondent Peter Stauton wrote on Tuesday that the Neymar project had “failed,” citing the player’s exorbitant transfer fee two years ago, his $US785,000 weekly wage, and an inability to turn domestic success into European by winning the UEFA Champions League.

“I do not want to have any celebrity behaviour anymore,” he said. “Players will have to assume their responsibilities even more than before … if they do not agree, the doors are open. Ciao!”

PSG can potentially auction the player off, though. In a separate article, Goal.com said that the Madrid president Florentino Perez is keen to recruit Neymar, having missed out on the player when he moved to Barcelona in 2013, then again in 2017 when he left for PSG.